1. Field
The present application relates generally to the operation of wireless communication systems, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for managing connectivity resources for applications on a user device.
2. Background
Applications (Apps) or device applets are now available that operate to provide a wide range of add-on services and features to wireless devices. For example, it is now possible for wireless devices to download and launch device applets to perform value added functions such as, shopping, searching, position location, driving navigation or an array of other functions. Network and application providers generally offer these device applets to device users for additional fees. Thus, the use of device applets increases the functionality and usability of wireless devices and offers device users features and convenience not originally available on the devices themselves.
Typically a wireless device interfaces with one or more communication networks using any of a plurality of radios. For example, the wireless device may include a variety of radios providing communications using cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth or other types of radio access technologies. Accordingly, applications executing on the wireless device are typically provided with a default routing that determine the radio and associated radio channel the applications will use to communicate with the appropriate network.
However, there is an increased interest in intelligently selecting the radio through which a given application communicates. This is due, in part, to an increase in the number of multi-radio devices (e.g. 3G/WiFi devices) and an increase in network traffic that can create capacity problems for operators. Thus, with respect to such capacity problems, it would be desirable to offload traffic to alternative radios where such offloading is possible and does not significantly degrade application performance or where application performance actually may be improved based on intelligent radio selection.
Unfortunately, proposed solutions to affect radio selection may be inefficient, costly and may not be applicable to legacy applications. For example, one proposed solution would require all applications to be changed to explicitly indicate a preferred radio for use. This solution would be very inefficient and costly in that applications at each wireless device would need to be upgraded to specify a radio preference and would have to account for radio resources available at each device. Furthermore, such a solution may not be feasible with legacy applications where such upgrades are not possible.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have an efficient and cost effective mechanism that operates to provide intelligent radio selection for both legacy and non-legacy applications so that each application utilizes the most desirable radio available.